Molecular characterization of rabies viruses from two western provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (2008–2017)

• DOI: 10.1007/s11262-020-01784-y
• Publication Date: 2020-07-21T18:09:17Z
• Authors: Georges Tshilenge...; Erick Kazadi Kawaya; Augustin T. Twabela; Giovanni Cattoli; Julienne Sumbu Wa...; Ivancho Naletoski; Justin Masumu; William G. Dundon
• Keywords: Sheep; Rabies; Goats; Nucleocapsid Proteins; 16. Peace & justice; 3. Good health; 03 medical and health sciences; Dogs; 0302 clinical medicine; Rabies virus; Cats; Democratic Republic of the Congo; Animals; RNA, Viral; Phylogeny

Although rabies is enzootic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, there is very little molecular epidemiological information about the viruses circulating in animals. In this study, a fragment of the rabies virus (RABV) nucleoprotein gene was amplified and sequenced from 21 animal brain samples collected in two western provinces of the country between 2008 and 2017. The samples tested were from cat (n = 1), dog (n = 17), goat (n = 2), and sheep (n = 1). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the sequences generated were highly similar to each other and belonged to lineage Africa 1b clustering with a single sample identified in a canine in the Republic of Congo in 2014. This is the first molecular epidemiological study of RABV in the DRC and the data generated will assist authorities in the development of effective control strategies for rabies in the country.